


Forgive

by AGlassRoseNeverFades



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Based on that one line from the teaser, Based on the Hannibal s3 Teaser Trailer, Bittersweet, Don't pretend you don't know the one I mean, Drabble, Hannibal s3 Spoilers, Happy Ending, M/M, The Only Way This Could Possibly Go That Wouldn't Leave Me Bawling My Eyes Out Tbh, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, i made myself cry writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 18:57:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3219803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGlassRoseNeverFades/pseuds/AGlassRoseNeverFades
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Will had taken Matthew with him on his long trek across Europe to find Hannibal?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgive

**Author's Note:**

> A birthday present to myself, basically.
> 
> Based on this anon ask: "Dont get me wrong thw Hannibal s3 was great but just imagne if Matthew was with Will hunting down Hannibal" I don't think this is what you meant, anon, but the idea grabbed hold and just wouldn't let go.

Matt knows it’s quite probably more dangerous for  _him_ than anyone else on this journey, broken hearts and shattered teacups all around. He doesn’t know what Will will do once they actually find Hannibal, knows damn well that  _Will_ doesn’t even know what Will wants yet. Does he want to kiss him, fuck him,  _kill him?_  The uncertainty seems to flicker in the empath’s eyes every time he says the man’s name.

But still his fellow hawk beckons,  _"Want to help me find the Chesapeake Ripper?"_ and Matthew goes, knowing perfectly well that this could all end with his own heart bleeding out in his hands—perhaps quite literally, or perhaps only in metaphor, which seems somehow a thousand times  _worse._ He goes. He goes because he will do anything that Mr. Graham asks, he will follow him crawling on hands and knees over shattered china and broken glass if he has to, because  _Will needs him._ It doesn’t matter to Matthew if it’s only for this short while.

It’s enough. It’s not enough at all…but he’ll take it.

*

They find him in the catacombs, at the bottom of the abandoned tunnels of some forgotten city, the smell of dust and old bones clinging to Matthew’s nostrils. Will has already run far ahead of him. Matthew lingers behind, following at a more leisurely pace even though his mind is screaming at him that he needs to catch up, that he shouldn’t let Will out of his sight. He ignores it. This is their moment, not his. He is the intruder here.

_"Hannibal!"_ he hears Will’s voice ahead of him, and his pace quickens without his meaning it to. There, he’s close enough now that in the dim lighting he can see Will standing there in the passageway ahead, his back to him, his neck craned upward slightly. Matthew can just barely make out the shadowy figure standing at the mouth of another passageway above.

_"I forgive you."_ The words tumble out of Will’s mouth softly, both unexpected and yet sounding somehow like they’ve been waiting to be spoken all along. This is it, Matthew realizes. This is the moment he’s known was coming since Will first asked him to come along. Just another few steps and Will will be gone, swallowed up in the darkness ahead and out of Matthew’s reach forever. He forces himself to stand there silently and just watch, even with his heart hammering in his chest and screaming at him not to let the other man go. Because of course he has to let Will go. Of course he does.

He waits and  _waits_ but Will is still just standing there, and finally, reluctantly, Matthew tears his gaze away from the man in front of him to look up again at the man above.

He cannot see his face too clearly, but the man tilts his head downward slightly and somehow Matthew imagines he can see the small smile there. Then, without a word, with nothing more than this silent, grateful nod between them, Hannibal Lecter turns around and leaves.

Will does not follow. He stands there, a similar smile of contentment and understanding on his lips, and simply watches him go. Then he turns, still smiling, eyes shining as though through unshed tears. He looks more at peace than Matthew has ever seen him, and the younger man feels his heart thundering in his chest once more.

Will sniffs, once, just once, then threads his fingers carefully through Matthew’s own, the younger man merely standing there as though frozen, stunned, and says quietly to him, “Let’s go home, Matthew.”

**Author's Note:**

> ~~I had to give this a sweet fluffy ending because it's the only way I could possibly cope with it all.~~
> 
> Seriously, don't mind me, I'm just being melodramatic over here. This has actually been a great birthday so far. ^_^


End file.
